Mar 27, Colombo: Sri Lanka's Marxist party Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP) has called on the Elections Commissioner to ensure that students studying in private higher education institutions be allowed to exercise their franchise on Saturday when elections held in the Western and Southern Provinces.

The party has also urged the Commissioner to ensure that election law violations do not take place on the day of the elections.

The JVP has written to the Elections Commissioner asking him to make arrangements for students studying in private higher education institutions to cast their votes on Saturday since classes and lectures are held by private higher educational institutes mostly during the weekend.

The party has pointed out that students may not be able to cast their votes on Saturday if the necessary arrangements are not made for the purpose.

JVP General Secretary Tilvin Silva has stated in the letter that most of the students in private higher education institutes will be casting their votes for the first time and they should be provided with the opportunity to exercise their franchise.